ry gorgeous one,
and, while he could not imagine himself doing anything to thwart him
whose bread he ate, and to whose rise he had himself contributed, yet
if he could remain true to him without injuring he; he would account
himself happy. The day came when he had to decide between them, and,
against all chances, against his own preconceived notion of what he
would do under these circumstances, he chose to consider her.

This day came when, in the midst of growing complacency and an intense
interest in some new scheme which demanded all his powers, Abner
Fairbrother learned from the papers that Mr. Grey, of English
Parliamentary fame, had arrived in New York on an indefinite visit. As
no cause was assigned for the visit beyond a natural desire on the part
of this eminent statesman to see this great country, Mr. Fairbrother's
fears reached a sudden climax, and he saw himself ruined and for ever
disgraced if the diamond now so unhappily out of his hands should fall
under the eyes of its owner, whose seeming quiet under its loss had not
for a moment deceived him. Waiting only long enough to make sure that
the distinguished foreigner was likely to accept social attentions, and
so in all probability would be brought in contact with Mrs. Fairbrother,
he sent her by his devoted servant a peremptory message, in which he
demanded back his diamond; and, upon her refusing to heed this, followed
it up by another, in which he expressly stated that if she took it out
of the safe deposit in which he had been told she was wise enough to
keep it, or wore it so much as once during the next three months, she
would pay for her presumption with her life.

This was no idle threat, though she chose to regard it as such, laughing
in the old servant's face and declaring that she would run the risk if
the notion seized her. But the notion did not seem to seize her at once,
and her husband was beginning to take heart, when he heard of the great
ball about to be given by the Ramsdells and realized that if she were
going to be tempted to wear the diamond at all, it would be at this
brilliant function given in honor of the one man he had most cause to
fear in the whole world.

Sears, seeing the emotion he was under, watched him closely. They had
both been on the point of starting for New Mexico to visit a mine in
which Mr. Fairbrother was interested, and he waited with inconceivable
anxiety to see if his master would change his plans. It was while